Saturday, May 18, 2013

Day 7 -- Ferry to the Island of Hvar and ride to Hvar town

Aboard our ferry

After a week, I am running out of superlatives to describe the highlights of this trip. The perfect weather was back with us today. Our private "ferry" pulled up right in front of our hotel in Bol, and we loaded bikes, luggage and cyclists aboard for the one hour ride to Jelsa on the Island of Hvar. From the water, I could look back at the Island of Brac and clearly see the high point of Vidova Gora, subject of yesterday's climb.

We arrived in Jelsa around 10 am, too early for lunch, but exactly at the right time for an iced
coffee. I am not really a fan of iced coffee, but this was a treat.

There was a generous portion of vanilla gelato in the coffee which was then topped with the thickest, richest whipped cream ever. (Hey -- I came up with two new superlatives!) This provided ample fuel for the short, level ride to Stari Grad.

In Stari Grad, Peter, one of the cyclists in our group was actually able to make contact with some distant relatives in the town. (I am hazy on the details -- will probably learn more at dinner tonight.). I wasn't really ready for lunch in Stari Grad, so I just purchased a pastry in a bakery shop.

From Stari Grad, we had another 400 meter climb from the sea, just as we did yesterday. Of course, today, there was no optional additional climb. At the summit there was a small stand where the proprietor was selling a variety of home made/ home grown lavendar products. I was wearing a cycling jersey from Maui, and the owner greeted me with a hearty "aloha."

As always, a good climb is rewarded with a good descent. In this case, straight back to the sea and the town of Hvar, where we are spending the night. I have been really lucky with my hotel rooms -- almost always having a view of the sea. The room wasn't ready when I arrived, so I had a "lunch" consisting of a cheese plate that would have made an ample appetizer for four people.

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Welcome to Guy's blog

August 2018 -- UPDATEA wonderful cycling trip to Cuba is now history. In less than a month, I will be cycling Venice to Pisa. It promises to be a great trip, with a special bonus. On the day of my arrival in Venice I will see La Traviata in La Felice, the opera house where it premiered.